


Gift

by Wagnetic



Series: Eagle Wingfic [1]
Category: The Eagle | The Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
Genre: M/M, Tropes, Wingfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-25
Updated: 2013-12-25
Packaged: 2018-01-06 03:25:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1101826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wagnetic/pseuds/Wagnetic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A mini trope!fic for Sineala.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gift

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Sineala](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sineala/gifts).



From the beginning it was clear to Marcus that there would be no way of hiding his curse from his own body slave, and so he resolved to show Esca. The knowledge that he must do it didn’t make the anticipation any less difficult to bear, but at last he called Esca to his chamber, bracing himself for whatever Esca might say.

“There is something I need to show you,” he said. “You’re bound to see eventually, but I feel I should warn you, it is…”

“Do what you think you must,” Esca replied, cold as ever.

Marcus turned his back to Esca, pulled off his tunic, and waited. He had hoped that sparing himself the sight of Esca’s reaction might make this moment easier, but instead the silence drew out maddeningly. He felt Esca’s gaze on him, a stinging pressure that built and built until it became intolerable.

“Well, say what you have to say,” Marcus snapped. “I don’t doubt that you have some opinion to express on the matter, and it’s not like you to hold back.” He turned to face Esca and was shocked to see a complete lack of contempt. Esca’s eyes were sharply focused, his brows were slightly raised, but his mouth, normally a hard, angular line, was soft. Esca was curious then, but not disgusted.

When Esca finally spoke, it was to ask, “They’re eagle wings, aren’t they?” His clipped tone was gone now, and without the harsh anger his voice was… There was no word Marcus could think of but ‘beautiful.’ “Is that why you’re called Aquilla?”

Marcus shook his head. “It is possible that an ancestor of mine had the same curse, but I’ve always thought it must have been a particularly cruel trick of the gods.”

“I would have thought it was a blessing,” Esca said. “Perhaps your gods have given you a gift.”

Marcus thought about that long into the night. His useless wings had never been anything but a burden to him, and he’d been certain that the gods had seen fit to punish him. Yet he’d found himself craving Esca’s approval since their eyes had met, and now he had seen at least a grudging spark of admiration on Esca’s face. If only because of that, Marcus thought, perhaps the wings were a gift after all.


End file.
